DNP Develops New Film for use with In-Vehicle Displays

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) has developed a new type viewing angle
control film for use with in-vehicle liquid crystal displays (LCD). The film
controls the viewing angle of such in-vehicle displays as automotive navigation
systems and speedometers, prevents glare on the windscreen, and boosts brightness
when viewed from the driver. Sample shipments will commence October.

[Background]

DNP has positioned Living and Mobility as a growth area. Apart from residences,
work places, schools and commercial facilities, the Company is also endeavoring
to ensure comfort in moving spaces, such as automobiles and trains, along with
the creation of information services that can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
In the automobile area, the Company currently offers decorative film for interior
purposes and a viewing angle control film targeting in-vehicle displays. In
addition to these efforts, DNP has also moved to strengthen its business base.
In August, 2015, Tamura Plastic MFG Co.,Ltd., which maintains a substantial
domestic share in side visors attached to the upper portion of automobile windows,
became part of the DNP Group.

In-vehicle LCD displays, such as automotive navigation systems and speedometers,
tend to be located close to the driver's windscreen. There are cases of the
display light creating glare on the windscreen, making it difficult to drive,
and impairing safety. As a countermeasure, it has been normal to attach a hood
to the upper portion of the display. But, design issues have led this hood to
be avoided by European luxury vehicles, and instead, we are seeing increased
use of viewing angle control film in display backlights to prevent glare. At
the same time, such viewing angle control film poses its own issues, such as
difficulty in reining in scintillation in line with the shift to high resolution
displays, or of a reduction in brightness.

DNP has once again risen to the challenge, and has developed a new type viewing
angle control film for use with in-vehicle displays that also reduces scintillation.
The new film capitalizes on the light control technology developed while creating
optical film for display purposes, and in addition to boosting anti-glare functions
also improves brightness.

[New Product Features]

The new film has taken the louver, or slat, that controls light direction
and thinned it to less than half of those currently offered. At the same
time, luminous transmittance has been boosted by a multiple of 1.4, and
brightness by 1.5 (from the driver's angle and compared with currently offered
DNP products). As a result, in addition to making it possible to reduce
windscreen glare, display screen brightness and visibility have also been
improved.

Newly developed materials have been incorporated into the louver layer,
facilitating reductions in thickness to 280 micrometer, compared to the
current 400 micrometer. This has made it possible to shrink the profile
of in-vehicle displays.

Bumps with fine dimples1 have been configured on the surface of the
film to prevent scintillation and contrast deterioration, thereby reducing
eye fatigue in drivers.

Products currently offered by DNP have been adopted in luxury automobiles
that demand high quality, such as European models. This latest product has
been manufactured in a clean manufacturing environment under a rigorous
quality control system in order to be able to reply to even more severe
demands from auto makers.

[Looking Ahead]

DNP will commence sample shipments, mainly to auto makers in Japan and overseas,
and in-vehicle display makers. Combined with existing products, DNP aims for
total sales of 3.0 billion yen in FY 2018.

1: A dimple is approximately 1/3 the size of a bump.

* Product prices, specification and service contents mentioned in this news
release are current as of the date of publication. They may be changed at any
time without notice.